This thesis examines womens in presence in the field of maintenance in heavy industry. Maintenance is area of work undergoing significant transformation due to technological advancements within the field, as well as the cultural and organizational work shifts associated with larger corporations seeking to substantially increase gender diversity. Findings are the result of fieldwork spanning nine-months in Western Australias Pilbara region, working with two of Australias largest resource extraction companies in both iron ore and oil and gas. Participatory observation and interviews centre upon gaining an emic understanding of the maintenance space, an area in which there has been relatively little sociological inquiry. Major focus was given to how tradespeople come to enter the field, how maintainers learn, and how the work environment is structured. Due to dramatic societal transformations as well as those in that are currently taking place within the maintenance work space, the results reveal a context for maintainers differs in almost every aspect when compared to previous generations of maintainers. For example, women with no prior experience or exposure are electing maintenance as careers; their presence in the workplace alters the all-male demographic that previously defined the domain; rather than becoming one of the boys women are able to maintain femininity on-and-off-the-job and; physicality is no longer an obstacle and womens input is recognised and expected as team members. Despite these changes however, a sense of belonging for women is not always easily attained. This presentation pays particular attention to the high school domain, where an internalisation of possibility is cultivated, and the apprenticeship experience - which further shapes motivation and identity of the individual. The dynamics of belonging will be discussed with an invitation to workshop various concepts which are under exploration and consideration by the author including habitus clive, cleft habitus and habitus plasticity.
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